10 Best Hard Rock Albums Of The 1960's
4. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson
As rock started to get louder and more aggressive, bands were also getting a bit sloppier. While it was great to play at such punishing volumes, some of the more famous acts ended up sacrificing their technical ability for the sake of just making as much noise as possible. Once this record came out, rockers found the bridge between complicated arrangements and audible destruction.
King Crimson may not have been the very first band to delve into progressive material, but they sure as hell made their stomp on it with this debut. With guitarist Robert Fripp leading the charge, the entire record is like watching a giant monster march throughout the land and wiping out innocent civilians at every turn. Even if it stands at just 5 tracks, cuts like the sorta-title track "The Court of the Crimson King" show you don't need a bunch of songs if the ones present make you feel this good.
The lead single "21st Century Schizoid Man" also marked a turning point for rock, with its elongated solos and distorted vocals signalling the start of both prog rock and heavy metal. The 1960's scene may have felt like a grand vision of love, but this was the doomy rival to the hippie counterculture.